Microporous polymeric foams and microtextured surfaces

ABSTRACT

Highly uniform microporous foam suitable for medical applications and methods for preparing these foams. The highly uniform microporous foams are of controlled pore size that may be utilized in a variety of applications. In preparing the foams, an organic crystalline polymer is melted and combined with a selected solid crystalline fugitive compound to produce a substantially isotropic solution. The solution is cooled under controlled conditions, which foster solid-solid phase separation by the simultaneous crystallization of the fugitive compound and the polymer, to produce a foam precursor containing the solidified fugitive compound dispersed through a matrix of the organic polymer. Crystals of fugitive compound are then removed by solvent extraction and/or sublimation, or like process to produce microcellular foams having a continuous, open-cell structure.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 08/562,430 filed Nov. 24, 1995, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/106,064, filed Aug. 13, 1993 which is now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to microporous thermoplastic foams and polymeric articles with microporous surface layers and methods for preparing these foams and articles. More specifically, the invention provides a method for producing foams with controlled pore size, chemical reactivity and mechanical properties, as well as microporous surfaces with modulated porosity, lyophilicity and chemical reactivity that may be utilized in a variety of applications, including drug delivery systems, constructs for bone and cartilage regeneration, constructs for organ generation, filters for protein fractionation, matrices for gas and fluid filtration, templates for three-dimensional cell cultures, bioreactor substrate material constructs containing immobilized chemical and biological reagents for use in continuous chemical and biochemical processing, and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is expected that there are many potential biomedical applications for microcellular foams although not necessarily disclosed in the prior art. Among the potential uses are, use as timed-release drug delivery systems, neural regeneration pathways, templates for skin generation/regeneration, vascular replacements and artificial bone templates. Specific areas of immediate biomedical significance include use of absorbable microcellular foams for bone and cartilage regeneration applications as well as the use of microcellular foams for organ generation, components of bioreactor cartridges, such as those useful for the production of growth factors, microcellular filters for protein fractionation, microcellular matrices for gas and fluid filtration, and microcellular constructs containing immobilized chemical and biological reagents, as well as living cells, for use in continuous chemical and biochemical processing. Some of these applications are discussed in the patent literature.

For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,902,456 and 4,906,377 discuss the manufacture of fluorocarbon porous films from poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether) (PFA) or poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP). The porous films are permeable to both liquids and gases and can be used as filtration media. In producing the films, a mixture is formed. The mixture includes between about 10 to about 35 wt. % FEP or PFA polymer with the remainder being a solvent (porogen) chlorotrifluorethylene oligomer which permits liquid-liquid phase separation upon cooling from elevated temperature and subsequent solidification of the polymer. The mixture is heated and extruded to form a film or hollow fibers which are then quenched to effect phase separation of the fluorocarbon polymer from the solvent. The extrudate is quenched by passing it over a chill roller which cools the extrudate to a temperature that causes microphase separation of polymer and solvent. The solvent is separated from the polymer by extraction and the resultant microporous polymeric membrane is dried under restraint in order to minimize or prevent membrane shrinkage and collapse.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,076 relates to hydrophilic flexible foams that are said to be particularly suited for use in external biomedical applications. The polyurethane films are produced by blowing a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) prepolymer with a substantially non-aqueous blowing agent, such as pressurized air. The prepolymer is then polymerized with polyoxyethylene polyol having at least two hydroxyl equivalents per mole. The hydrophilic foam may be extruded, knife coated, or cast into sheets.

Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,704 relates to specific foams into which a reservoir layer may be incorporated for allowing controlled release of vapors or liquids of an active compound into the surrounding environment. This is accomplished by incorporating a diffusion rate-limiting membrane layer, into a laminate of the foam, which controls the rate at which the active compound diffuses to the surface of the laminate and vaporizes or dissolves into the environment.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,621 relates to flexible foam substrates for selectively releasing and dispensing active ingredients. The composite material includes an open foam substrate containing particles of micropackaged active ingredient liquids or solids, formed with frangible containment walls, for breaking and releasing active ingredients in response to a defined level of stress.

Whereas the above patents indicate methods for making foams, microcellular foams made from biomedically significant polymers are of particular interest. Further, production of polymeric microporous foams having continuous cellular structures has not been exploited to any great extent. Microcellular foams have been produced using various materials and processes, but these foams cannot be produced from biomedically useful polymers, in high quality, uniform structures, using the two traditional methods: low temperature freeze drying and salt leaching, or the more recent technique, thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). Salt leaching has several limitations including the fact that it is often difficult to form small micropores with salt and it requires a high salt loading to achieve interpore channeling to produce continuous microporous foams. Further, there is a limited availability of solvents for polymers intended for biomedical use. Freeze drying also has its limitations. Specifically, there is a limited availability of crystallizable solvents that can be sublimed at the low temperatures characteristic of the freeze drying process. Further, the freeze drying process is a batch process which imposes limitations in terms of the size and shape of the foam produced.

Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) is a general process for forming cellular foams. A requirement of this process is that the polymer must be diluted with leachable, low molecular weight organic compounds without experiencing chemical degradation of the polymer chain molecule. Provisions of the TIPS method are that (a) a one-phase polymer-diluent system is cooled to effect phase separation; (b) bicontinuous phases (i.e. two phases completely intermingled with the architecture of a filled foam) are to be maintained before the polymer undergoes vitrification or crystallization; and (c) removal of the diluent does not partially or fully collapse the bicontinuous morphology.

Three types of TIPS have been described in the literature, namely liquid-liquid phase separation, liquid-solid phase separation, and solid-liquid phase separation. In each type of phase separation, the first adjective describes the polymer and the second describes the diluent.

Liquid-liquid phase separation occurs when, upon cooling, the polymer and diluent phase separate prior to solidification of either phase. Liquid-liquid phase separation can be further divided into two types of differing kinetics. One type of liquid-liquid phase separation occurs in the nucleated region which is between the binodal and spinodal boundaries of a polymer-diluent temperature-composition phase diagram. The other type of liquid-liquid phase separation occurs below the spinodal boundary in the region of spinodal decomposition. The nucleated region is characterized by phase separation induced by the nucleation of a second phase. The maxima of the spinodal boundary is the critical point of the polymer/solvent system. To one side of the critical point, the nucleated phase is polymer-rich while it is solvent-rich to the other side. In each case, the energy associated with the interfacial area determines the critical size of the nuclei. Therefore, nucleation occurs following a characteristic lag time during which nuclei grow to a sufficient size for stability.

Liquid-solid phase separation occurs when the diluent solidifies prior to polymer crystallization. Solid-liquid phase separation involves solidification of the polymer prior to diluent solidification.

These methods, liquid-liquid, liquid-solid and solid-liquid, provide cellular structures with irregular morphologies that are highly dependent on concentration of the polymer, polymer-diluent interaction and cooling rate. For the liquid-liquid case, full maintenance of the bicontinuous morphology is essentially unachievable Therefore, an irregular, rather than highly uniform, cellular structure is realized. A relatively more uniform, in comparison to foams prepared using liquid-liquid TIPS, but still irregular foam morphology can be achieved with liquid-solid and solid-liquid systems, provided that fast cooling rates (or quenching) prevail. Fast cooling rates are required (a) to minimize spherulitic growth of the crystallizing polymer in a solid-liquid system and (b) to allow the diluent to crystallize in the presence of a super-cooled polymer in a liquid-solid system.

TIPS, in concert with low-temperature freeze-drying technology, has been used to produce microcellular foams made of dextran, cellulose and polystyrene. Limitations associated with available materials and solvents have generally restricted the growth of TIPS foam formation technology. In the TIPS process, the pore formation is preceded by a liquid-liquid, liquid-solid or solid-liquid phase separation that is difficult to control. Further, the TIPS process requires solidifying the solvent-polymer mixture with rapid cryogenic quenching. This type of quenching presents an obstacle to large scale manufacturing processes.

Production of microcellular foams with controlled chemical and mechanical properties and morphology would facilitate the use of biologically safe polymers for the production of microcellular foams for biomedical applications. The growing demand for polymeric microcellular foams in several areas of advanced technology represent an urgent need for developing a method for converting non-bioabsorbable and bioabsorbable polymers, which cannot be processed in a traditional manner, to microcellular foams.

There exists a need for a continuous, open-cell microcellular foam and a process for producing such a foam on a typical manufacturing scale from organic polymers suitable for biomedical applications, without the need for complex new equipment to make the foams. Further, the process should be readily applicable to a broad range of thermoplastic polymers which can be absorbable or non-absorbable. Representative non-absorbable polymers include, but are not limited to, polyamides, aromatic polyesters and polyolefins, while the absorbable type of polymers can be based totally or partially on polymers such as polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyalkylene oxalate, polydioxanone and polyanhydride. Further, the process should allow some measure of control of the size of the open-cell pores or voids so that foams may be custom tailored for particular applications, such as timed-release drug delivery systems, constructs for regeneration of bone, cartilage and a multiplicity of soft tissues (including skin and liver), constructs for organ generation, filters for protein fractionation, matrices for gas and fluid filtration, constructs for use in bioreactor cartridges used for continuous chemical and biochemical processing, and the like. The inner and outer microporous cell surfaces can be chemically activated to allow the creation of chemically active functionalities which can be used to bind biologically active agents ionically or covalently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

From hereinafter, the phrase "fugitive compound" is used to describe an additive composition, which is added to a system but can subsequently be removed from the system.

The invention provides microcellular foams produced by a process that allows controlled formation of continuous open-cell pores or voids using a broad range of crystalline polymeric thermoplastic precursors and following processing schemes that are adaptable to a number of large manufacturing schemes. The foams have a highly uniform matrix of a crystalline organic polymer with continuous, open-cell pores dispersed throughout the matrix, and are produced by a process that requires the blending of molten polymer with a relatively low molecular weight fugitive compound that is a crystalline solid that melts at temperatures above about 25 EC and/or can be sublimed and extracted in a broad range of temperatures above about 25 EC.

In producing the microporous foams, a crystalline organic polymer is co-melted with the solid, crystalline, fugitive organic compound to produce a substantially isotropic solution. The isotropic solution is solidified by quenching, either by conventional cryogenic techniques or by ambient cooling, using water or air as a convection medium, to produce a foam precursor. In most cases, the foam precursor is a matrix of the organic polymer with a fugitive compound dispersed as a microcrystalline solid therein and in a few cases as an inter-molecular moiety with no distinct crystalline lattice. The fugitive compound can be removed by several techniques, depending upon the specific composition. Typically, the crystals are removed by leaching with a solvent or sublimation through heating under vacuum. The resultant continuous, open-cell foams are microporous and suitable for a variety of applications, among which are medical applications.

The inventive microporous foams can be made in a variety of shapes, depending upon the use requirements. For example, microporous foam in the form of hollow fibers, catheters, films or sheets can be produced by extrusion of the molten, substantially isotropic solution that contains the organic polymer and the fugitive compound. The extrudate, consisting of a foam precursor, can then be treated to remove the fugitive compound either by leaching with a solvent, and/or sublimation of the composition. Alternatively, the foam precursor can be in the core of a fiber extrudate so that upon removal of the fugitive compound, the extrudate will be made up of a microporous core and solid sheath.

Different forms of filamentous foams, having a high surface area to volume ratio, may be used to fabricate bioreactors for producing a range of biological products. For example, living cells can be cultured on the extensive surface area provided by these hollow fibers or tubes and, since the foam is of an open-cell nature, nutrients may readily be supplied to the cells and products readily removed for further processing and use. The structure of the foam also allows the facile transport of waste products.

Further, the open-cell foams may be fabricated of a bioabsorbable polymer, so that these can be implanted into a living body with or without the incorporation of certain bioactive agents, such as growth factors, for tissue regeneration purposes. Thus, the implantable bioabsorbable foam can be shaped and fitted as a prosthetic implant or construct to repair skeletal or soft tissues so that as bone or specific soft tissue grows into the bioabsorbable foam implant, the implant gradually absorbs until the skeletal or soft tissue structure is repaired and the implant completely absorbed. Specifically for bone generation, the pores of the bioabsorbable construct may be doped with bone morphogenic protein, or cells producing such proteins and other desirable biologically active substances, in order to promote healing and bone growth. Likewise, constructs may be fabricated for use in repairing ligament or soft tissue of living bodies utilizing bioabsorbable polymeric matrices, with suitable pharmacologically active and/or biologically active materials or cells producing such active materials in the pores of the construct.

Due to the custom tailored nature of the pores, the foams which can be processed in the precursor stage by extrusion, casting or other methods for production of shaped articles are also useful as devices for the timed delivery of drugs, for instance, transdermally. Thus, given the diffusion kinetics of a certain medicament, a foam may be custom tailored with a particular pore size which can be doped with the medicament to release the medicament to the patient at a controlled, desired rate.

The foam-precursor technology that is the subject of this invention can be used to create a thin microporous layer on the outer-most boundaries or surfaces of polymeric substrates by dipping a polymeric workpiece in the fugitive compound medium to co-dissolve with the polymer comprising the base of the polymeric workpiece. Depending upon the dipping time and temperature, the thickness of the foamy parts can be modulated. This thin microporous layer can be from one to a few pores in thickness and can provide a means for surface microtexturing. Surfaces with variable foam depths can be achieved on high melting and/or low solubility polymers, such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Orthopedic implants with porous outermost components facilitates bone-ingrowth into the implant and hence enhances development of mechanical stability. The performance of implants with microporous or textured surfaces can be further improved by chemical activation of the inner and outer cell walls by a process such as phophonylation. An alternate method to creating the desired surface morphology is obtained using the isotropic solution as a dipping medium, instead of the fugitive compound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a scanning electron micrograph of a highly uniform Nylon 12 microcellular foam of Example 3.

FIG. 2 is another scanning electron micrograph of a highly uniform Nylon 12 microcellular foam of Example 3.

FIG. 3 is a scanning electron micrograph of a highly uniform polyethylene microcellular foam of Example 4.

FIG. 4 is another scanning electron micrograph of a highly uniform polyethylene microcellular foam of Example 4.

FIG. 5 is a bar graph of the tensile strength of various polycaprolactone foams of Example 6.

FIG. 6 is a bar graph of the compressive strength of various polycaprolactone foams of Example 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention provides microcellular foams having a continuous, highly uniform open-cell structure and a process for preparing such foams. The invention process permits a degree of control over the range of pore sizes so that the foams may be custom-tailored for specific applications. The applications include, but are not limited to, timed-release drug delivery systems, constructs for bone, cartilage and soft tissue regeneration, organ generation, filters for protein fractionation, microcellular matrices for gas and fluid filtration, bioreactors containing immobilized chemical and biological reagents for use in continuous chemical and biochemical processing to produce useful products.

Conventional foams, produced by traditional methods of foam formation, have voids or pores ranging from 50 to 100 microns in diameter. By some definitions, microcellular foams are those containing cells less than 50 microns in diameter. However, in the specification and claims, materials referred to as microcellular foams are those foams containing voids or pores of varying geometries, that are suitable for biomedical applications. Such foams preferably contain pores or voids with dimensions of from about 1 to about 400 microns, most preferably from about 5 to about 200 microns.

Foams, according to the invention, can be made from suitable crystalline organic polymeric materials, including the bioabsorbable and non-bioabsorbable thermoplastic polymers. The non-bioabsorbable medically significant polymers include the polyamides, polyesters and polyolefins. The bioabsorbable polymers include poly(dioxanone), polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyalkylene oxalates, polyanhydrides and copolymers thereof.

Depending upon the polymer selected and the size and distribution of voids or pores within the foam, the foams may range in mechanical properties from flexible to semi-flexible to rigid. Thus, foams according to the invention can be tailored for specific uses by judicious selection of polymer and void/pore size, depending upon the intended use of the foam construct.

In order to prepare the foams according to the invention, a "fugitive compound" is required. These fugitive compounds are solid crystalline compositions that have molecular weights of less than about 300 daltons and that are able to form a substantially isotropic solution when combined with the molten polymer that will form the substrate of the foam. Upon cooling of the substantially isotropic polymer-fugitive compound solution, the fugitive compound should separate from the polymer by crystallizing or forming inter-macromolecular entities. This is realized through crystallization-induced microphase separation (CIMS). These crystals or entities can then be subsequently removed from the solidified polymer to produce voids or pores in the spaces they previously occupied. The preferred fugitive compound are those solid, crystalline compositions that melt at temperatures above about 25 EC; and those crystalline solid compositions that sublime at temperatures above about 25 EC and that may also be extracted with solvents. Examples of suitable fugitive compounds include salicylic acid, naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene and tetramethylene sulfone.

CIMS is part of a unique type of TIPS that relies on solid-solid phase separation, a characteristic of the method used to produce the inventive foams. The CIMS/TIPS method produces a unique highly uniform morphology, in comparison to the irregular morphologies produced by liquid-liquid, solid-liquid, or liquid-solid phase separation methods. Unlike these other phase separation methods, in the solid-solid crystalline systems and method employed in the invention, the bicontinuous morphology is substantially maintained during the phase separation, and both the fugitive compound and polymer undergo virtually simultaneous crystallization upon rapidly cooling the one-phase isotropic liquid bicomponent system.

A phase diagram of the crystalline polymer and crystalline fugitive combinations. employed to make the inventive foams and foam precursors includes a monophasic liquid with an upper critical solubility temperature at the apex of a narrow spinodal region mantling a large solid-solid region. Upon rapid cooling, the system passes rapidly through the spinodal region and forms a highly uniform, bicontinuous morphology in the solid-solid zone through virtually simultaneous crystallization of the polymer and diluent (i.e. fugitive compound).

The critical nuclei size in the spinodal region is exactly zero. Thus, rapid cooling of the liquid phase can lead to a solid-solid phase separation via an instant passage through the spinodal region.

At best, previously known liquid-liquid, liquid-solid, and solid-liquid type phase separation methods produce irregular foams with a minimum uniformity in cell morphology in comparison to the highly uniform foams produced by the solid-solid CIMS/TIPS process. Any level of uniformity attained in the previous methods can be further compromised by the presence of high concentrations of irregular filler in the liquid phase prior to phase separation. On the other hand, in the present invention where a solid-solid type TIPS occurs, the morphology of the cellular structure is optimal. The hierarchy of foam morphology uniformity, which is dependent on the method of phase separation employed to produce the foams, increases in the following order: filled liquid-liquid < unfilled liquid-liquid < solid-liquid or liquid solid < solid-solid.

Since the foams (including thin, foamy upper-most layers or surfaces) of the present invention are produced using a solid that crystallizes, the size of the voids or pores can be controlled by controlling the relative rates of crystal growth and nucleation. Thus, for example, all other things being equal, if it is desired to produce smaller pores, then conditions must be selected to favor nucleation over crystal growth. This will ensure the presence of a relatively larger number of relatively small crystals dispersed throughout the solidified polymer matrix (i.e. the foam precursor). The crystals can then be removed from the foam precursor, either by (1) sublimation under suitable heat and/or vacuum, (2) extraction with a solvent under suitable heat or (3) both sublimation and extraction, to produce a foam containing small pores. If, on the other hand, a foam with larger pores or voids is desired, then process conditions should be modified to favor crystallization over nucleation. Under these circumstances, fewer crystal nuclei will be produced and the fugitive compound will crystalize into relatively fewer large crystals in a foam precursor. Upon removing these crystals from the foam precursor, relatively larger voids or pores will be produced in the open-cell foam.

In the process for producing the foams of the invention, the selected polymer is typically heated to melt with the selected fugitive compound that melts at above 25 EC or that sublimates at above about 25 EC. The combination of molten polymer and fugitive compound produces a substantially isotropic solution. This solution can be solidified to produce a foam precursor including a solid polymeric matrix with crystals of the fugitive compound dispersed throughout the matrix. As explained above, the relative size of the crystals can be determined by judicious selection of processing conditions. It is important to note that the quenching of the substantially isotropic solution to produce the foam precursor is not necessarily conventional cryogenic quenching wherein the solution is chilled by liquid nitrogen or dry ice (i.e. frozen carbon dioxide). Instead, the quenching step can be carried out by convective cooling with air or cooling in a water bath. This flexibility of the process of the invention is particularly important in that it allows the extruding of the substantially isotropic solution without need for cryogenic cooling of the extrudate as it exits the extrusion dye. Similarly, the casting of the foam precursors can be simplified.

Once the foam precursor is produced, regardless of whether by conventional cryogenic quenching or by water or air cooling, the fugitive compound, now finely dispersed throughout the foam precursor, must be removed to form the continuous, open-cell pores characteristic of the foams of the invention. These fugitive compound crystals may be removed by leaching with a solvent for the crystals, that is not a solvent for the polymer matrix. Thus, an important consideration in selecting the solvent is that it should be soluble in a solvent that is not a solvent for the organic polymer from which the foam will be made. Alternatively, if the solid crystalline material is one that sublimates at a temperature above 25 EC, then it is important to select a polymer that retains its physical integrity by having a melting temperature (Tm) well above the prevailing sublimation temperature and does not degrade at around the sublimation temperature of the solid fugitive compound.

The proportion of organic polymer and fugitive compound that must be mixed to produce a foam will vary, depending upon the percentage of voids and the size range of the voids desired within the foam. Thus, if a large percentage of voids is required, then a relatively larger proportion of the fugitive compound is added to the organic polymer. Minimum pore dimensions can be achieved with fugitive compounds proportions that allow only formation of inter-macromolecular entities. Typically, however, in order to produce a foam for biomedical applications, foams must have a percentage of voids ranging from about 25 to about 90 percent by volume, more typically 50 to 80 percent by volume. To produce such foams, from about 5 to about 90 wt. % fugitive compounds should be added to the polymer, preferably, from about 10 to about 75 wt. % fugitive compound, based upon the combined weights of the polymer and fugitive compound and on the assumption that the fugitive compound and polymer have approximately similar densities.

It is known that certain polymeric materials do not readily form a solution with common organic solvents to create a porous or "foam-like" surface on the polymeric substrates. These are referred to as "polymers not readily soluble in conventional solvents." Among these polymeric materials are polyether-etherketone (PEEK), certain aromatic liquid crystalline polymides, polyesters and the like. According to the present invention, in order to create a microporous morphology in the outer-most layers as surface layers, or to microtexture the surfaces of such substrates, including film substrates, the polymeric material (e.g. a workpiece) is subjected to a hot, molten fugitive compound for a period of time sufficient to co-dissolve the surface of the film (or any other shaped articles) to a desired extent. Thereafter, the co-dissolved polymer and fugitive compound are cooled and the solid crystalline material is removed by sublimation and/or extraction with a solvent, as explained above. As a result, a surface layer is produced on a substrate where the layer exhibits continuous microporosity or is microtextured with pores or voids.

The present invention also provides polymeric substrates with thin, continuously porous or microtextured surfaces. The microtexturing process, according to the present invention, produces surfaces that have a porous texture with pore sizes ranging from less than about 1.0 microns up to about 200 microns in diameter in the surface of organic polymeric films and other substrates.

Implants with modified surfaces, including microporous surface layers, can be prepared by one of two methods. In a first method, the implant is coated with a thin layer of the isotropic solution containing both a desired polymer and a fugitive compound. The coating is then quenched, by a suitable process, to produce a thin layer of foam precursor that adheres to the surface of the implant. The fugitive compound is then removed from the foam precursor layer by solvent extraction, sublimation, or combination of these processes. The result is an implant with a thin microporous foam coating that allows tissue ingrowth so that the implant is better anchored in the body. The pores of the foam layer can be filled with pharmacologically or biologically active materials to facilitate healing, reduce risk of infection, and promote tissue growth.

In the event that the implant is fabricated from a polymeric composition or a polymeric composite, then a second method can be employed. In this second method, the implant can be microtextured, or a microporous layer can be created on the implant's surface, by coating the implant with a medium containing a fugitive compound. The coated implant is then subjected to conditions that will cause the polymeric surface of the implant to co-dissolve or co-melt with the fugitive compound. Thus, the outer surface of the composite or polymer implant is converted into a foam precursor. This foam precursor can then be treated by solvent extraction, sublimation or both to remove the fugitive compound to produce a microtextured or microporous surface.

The present invention also provides bi-component constructs that include a foam core with a solid polymeric skin or surface layer surrounding the core. Such bicomponent constructs can be readily produced by several methods including, for instance, subjecting foam filaments produced, as described above, to heat to cause the outer surface to melt and flow and thereby form an outer skin.

When the foams of the present invention are intended for implantation into a living patient, then they may be supplied with suitable medicaments, including growth factors, pharmacologically active compounds and biologically active compounds for living cells capable of producing such biologically active compounds. The medicaments include antibacterial agents, anti-inflammatory agents and the like. The biologically active agents include for example, insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and the like. As a general principal, the foams can be doped with any agent or living cell capable of producing that agent in order to enhance the effectiveness of the foam in its intended function in the body. In one embodiment, the foams can be doped with a slightly soluble pharmaceutical product that can be added with the fugitive compound. The resultant foam precursor produced can be subjected to processes for removing the fugitive compound that result in retaining the pharmaceutical product in the voids or pores of the foam. Thus for instance, if the pharmaceutical product has higher thermal stability than a fugitive compound that is able to sublimate, then removal of the fugitive compound by sublimation will permit the retention of the medicament in the pores of the foam.

The following examples illustrate certain embodiments of the invention and do not in any way limit the scope of the present invention as described above and claimed hereafter.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Nylon 6 Microporous Foam Using Salicylic Acid as the Fugitive Compound

Nylon 6 fibers were heated with solid salicylic acid to form a 10% (by weight) Nylon 6 solution. The solution was heated close to, but not exceeding, 230 EC in an inert atmosphere to produce an isotropic solution. The processing vessel was then quenched in 25 EC water bath. The solid foam precursor obtained was then heated to 78 EC while vacuum was applied to remove the salicylic acid by sublimation.

Characterization by light microscopy revealed a porous, foam morphology. Continuous porosity was verified by monitoring the fast transport of an aqueous dye solution through the foam.

Example 2 Nylon 12 Microporous Foam Using Salicylic Acid as the Fugitive Compound

Solid Nylon 12 pellets were heated with solid salicylic acid to form a 30% (by weight) isotropic solution while using mechanical stirring. The solution was heated to about 190 EC in an inert atmosphere and the processing vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The solid foam precursor obtained was washed with chloroform to remove the salicylic acid.

Characterization of the Nylon 12 foam was accomplished using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and revealed a pore size of 50 to 100 microns. Continuous porosity was verified using the dye-transport method described in Example 1.

Example 3 Nylon 12 Microporous Foam Using Naphthalene

Solid Nylon 12 pellets were heated with solid naphthalene to form a 30% (by weight) isotropic solution while using mechanical stirring. The solution was heated to about 190 EC in an inert atmosphere and the vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The solid foam precursor was soaked in chloroform to remove the naphthalene.

Characterization of the Nylon 12 foam was accomplished using SEM and revealed a pore size of 30 to 50 microns. The dye transport method was used to verify the foam continuous porosity.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are scanning electron micrographs, taken at different magnifications, of the highly uniform nylon microcellular foam of Example 3.

Example 4 Polyethylene Microporous Foams Using Naphthalene

Solid, high-density polyethylene pellets were heated with solid naphthalene to form a 30% (by weight) isotropic solution while applying mechanical stirring. The solution was heated to about 150 EC in an inert atmosphere and the vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The solid foam precursor obtained was washed with chloroform to remove the naphthalene.

Characterization of the polyethylene foam was accomplished using SEM and BET surface area analysis. The polyethylene foam was found to have pores ranging from 5 to 50 microns in diameter and a surface area of 2.3 square meters/gram. Continuous microporosity was verified using the dye transport method.

Solid polyethylene pellets were heated with naphthalene to form a 20% (by weight) solution. The mixture was heated to approximately 170° C. in an inert atmosphere to produce a clear solution. Mechanical stirring was used for 20-30 minutes to insure adequate blending of the solution. The solution was quenched in liquid nitrogen to solidification and the resultant foam precursor washed in chloroform to remove the naphthalene.

FIGS. 3 and 4, scanning electron micrographs at different magnifications, illustrate the highly uniform morphology of the foams produced from the 20 wt. % polyethylene solutions.

Example 5 Polypropylene Microporous Foam Using Naphthalene

Solid isotactic polypropylene pellets were heated with solid naphthalene to form a 20% (by weight) isotactic solution while applying mechanical stirring. The solution was heated to about 170 EC in an inert atmosphere and the processing vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The solid foam precursor obtained was washed with chloroform to remove the naphthalene.

Characterization of the polyethylene foam was accomplished using SEM and revealed pores ranging from 1 to 50 microns in diameter. Continuous porosity was verified using the dye transport method.

Example 6 Polycaprolactone Microporous Foam Using Naphthalene

Solid polycaprolactone (PCL) pellets were heated with solid naphthalene to form a 20, (by weight) isotropic solutions while applying mechanical stirring. The solutions were heated close to, but not exceeding, 140 EC in an inert atmosphere and the processing vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The resulting solid foam precursor obtained was washed with hexane to remove the naphthalene.

Characterization of the polycaprolactone foams were accomplished using SEM and revealed pore sizes of 5 to 50 microns. Continuous porosity was verified using the dye transport method.

Tensile and compressive stress measurements were performed on polycaprolactone (PCL) samples using an Insitron test machine, model 4201. The foam samples were prepared by casting 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt. % PCL solutions, prepared by the above described process, into rectangular aluminum and steel molds that had been cooled completely in liquid nitrogen. The samples were cooled and subsequently washed in hexane to remove the naphthalene. The foam samples were thoroughly cleaned and cut to the appropriate sizes before testing. A typical test specimen was 0.7×1. 1×4.0 cm while a typical compressive test specimen was 1.2×1.5×2.0 cm. Ten samples were prepared for each PCL foam concentration for both tensile and compressive testing.

Tensile test specimens were pulled to failure using the following parameters: 20 mm gage length, 50 kg load cell, and a 5 mm/min ramp rate.

Compressive test specimens were compressed to 50% of their original height at a ramp rate of 50 mm/min. A 50 kg load cell was used for the 0.1 and 0.2 weight fraction PCL foam samples while a 500 kg load cell was used for the 0.3 and 0.4 weight fraction PCL foams.

Results of the tensile testing are shown in FIG. 5. Results of the compressive testing are shown in FIG. 6. Increasing the polymer weight fraction in microcellular foam samples leads to increases in both tensile and compressive strength.

Example 7 Nylon 6 Microporous Foam Using Tetramethylene Sulfone

Solid Nylon 6 pellets were heated with tetramethylene sulfone to form a 20% (by weight) isotropic solution while applying mechanical stirring. The solution was heated to about 250 EC in an inert atmosphere and the process vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The solid foam precursor obtained was washed with methanol to remove the tetramethylene sulfone. Continuous porosity was verified using the dye transfer method.

Characterization of the nylon 6 foam was accomplished using SEM and revealed a pore size of 2 to 5 microns.

Example 8 Absorbable Microporous Foam Using Naphthalene

The absorbable copolyester of this example was prepared by catalyzed polycondensation of 75/25 (molar ratio) of diemthyl terephthalate/diethyl oxalate and 1.2 molar excess of trimethylene glycol in the presence of about 0.05 percent (by mole) stannous octoate as a catalyst. The polymerization was conducted at two states. The first, the pre polymerization stage, was conducted at a temperature of 150-180 EC under nitrogen at ambient pressure for about 6 hours. The second, the post polymerization stage, was conducted under reduced pressure (less than 1 mmHg) at 180-210 EC for about 8 hours. The resulting polymer was cooled, ground and dried before use. The polymer exhibited an inherent viscosity (in CHCl₃ at 30 EC) of about 1.0 and a Tm of about 127 EC.

Solid synthetic absorbable polyester was heated with naphthalene to form a 20% (by weight) isotropic solution while applying mechanical stirring. The solution was heated to about 230 EC in an inert atmosphere and the processing vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The solid foam precursor obtained was washed with n-hexane to remove the naphthalene. The purified foam exhibited the same inherent viscosity as that of the starting polymer.

Characterization of this absorbable polyester foam was accomplished by SEM.

Example 9 Absorbable Microporous Copolycaprolactone Foam Using Naphthalene

A solid absorbable copolycaprolactone (90/10 Caprolactone/Glycolide copolymer) was heated with naphthalene to form a 20% (by weight) isotropic solution while applying mechanical stirring. The solution was heated up to 120 EC in an inert atmosphere and the processing vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The solid foam precursor obtained was washed with n-hexane to remove the naphthalene. The inherent viscosity (in CHCl₃ @ 30 EC) of the foam was the same as that of the starting polymer (about 1.0).

Characterization of this absorbable foam was accomplished using SEM and indicated a pore size of 1-150 microns. The continuous porosity was verified using the dye transport method.

Example 10 Absorbable Microporous 95/5 Copolycaprolatone Foam Using Naphthalene

A solid synthetic absorbable polyester (95/5 Caprolactone/Glycolide copolymer) was heated with naphthalene to form a 20% (by weight) isotropic solution while applying mechanical stirring. The solution was heated up to 110EC in an inert atmosphere and the processing vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The solid foam precursor obtained was washed with n-hexane to remove the naphthalene. The purified foam exhibited the same inherent viscosity (in CHCl₃ @ 30 EC) as the starting polymer (about 0 8).

Characterization of the absorbable polyester foam was accomplished using SEM and indicated a pore size of 1-200 mn. The continuous porosity was verified by the dye diffusion method.

Example 11 Texturing of PEEK (Poly(ether-ether ketone) Film Using Naphthalene

A PEEK 10 mil-thick film sample (STABAR K200 manufactured by I.C.I.) was heated with naphthalene in an inert atmosphere for 2.5 hours at a temperature between 225 and 250 EC. The treated film was removed and allowed to air cool at room temperature. The solid naphthalene was removed from the "surface" foam precursor using n-hexane after soaking for about 3 days.

Characterization of the resultant film surface was accomplished using SEM. A porous surface was evident with pore size diameters as small as 1 micron. The depth of the microporous layer was about 2-10 mm.

Example 12 Texturing of PEEK Film Using Salicylic Acid

A 10 mil thick PEEK film (STABAR K200) was heated with salicylic acid in an inert atmosphere for approximately 2 hours at a temperature of approximately 240 EC. After air cooling the isolated film at room temperature, the solid salicylic acid was removed from the "surface" foam precursor using methanol after soaking for about 3 days.

Characterization of the resultant film surface was accomplished using SEM. A porous surface was evident with pore size diameters at or below 1 micron. The depth of the microporous layer was about 5-10 mm.

Example 13 Texturing of a Solid PEEK Coupon

A solid PEEK coupon was placed in liquid anthracene and maintained in an inert atmosphere for 3 hours at a temperature of approximately 260 EC. After isolating and air cooling the polymer at room temperature, the solid anthracene was removed from the foam precursor obtained with hexane.

Characterization of the resultant sample surface was accomplished using SEM. A porous surface was evident with pore size diameters ranging from 1 to 50 micron. The depth of the microporous layer was shown to about 20-200 mm.

Example 14 Extrusion of Microporous Polycaprolactone (PCL) Foam Fibers

Solid PCL was heated with naphthalene to form a 40% (by weight) isotropic solution while applying mechanical stirring. The solution was heated up to 145 EC in an inert atmosphere and the processing vessel was then quenched in liquid nitrogen. The co-solidified PCL/naphthalene foam precursor was then melt extruded at about 100 EC using a capillary equipped with through a 40 mil die. The resulting filaments of foam precursor were air cooled and then washed with n-hexane to remove the naphthalene and produce PCL foam fibers. The inherent viscosity of the purified filaments was the same as that of the starting polymer (about 2.2 in CHCl₃ @ 30 EC).

Characterization of the PCL foam fibers was accomplished using SEM to ascertain their microporosity. The pore size ranged from 1-5 mm.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art may, upon reading this disclosure, appreciate changes and modifications which may be made and which do not depart from the scope and spirit of the invention as described above and claimed below. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A polymeric article with a highly uniform microporous surface layer comprising:a polymeric substrate; and a highly uniform microporous polymeric surface layer on at least a portion of the polymeric substrate, said layer produced by a process comprising the steps of:providing a solid crystalline additive composition, said additive composition having a melting point above 25° C. and having at least one of the following physical characteristics:(i) a sublimation temperature between about 25° C. and the lower of the degradation, melting, or glass transition temperature of the polymer; and (ii) extractability by solvents which are not solvents for the polymer; heating the additive composition to above its melting point so as to form a hot molten additive composition; providing an organic crystalline thermoplastic polymeric workpiece, said polymeric workpiece having surfaces; subjecting the polymeric workpiece to the hot molten additive composition for a period of time sufficient to co-dissolve at least a portion of at least one surface of the polymeric workpiece with the additive composition; solidifying the co-dissolved surface of the polymeric workpiece and additive composition such that the additive composition phase-separates in the co-dissolved surface of the polymeric workpiece by crystallization to produce a surface layer containing crystals of the additive composition; and removing the crystals of the additive composition from the surface layer to produce a highly uniform microporous surface layer, wherein the removing is accomplished by a process selected from the group consisting of solvent extraction, sublimation and a combination of solvent extraction and sublimation.
 2. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the subjecting step is by dipping the polymeric workpiece in the hot molten additive composition.
 3. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the removing step is by extracting the additive composition from the surface layer containing the crystals of the additive composition with a solvent.
 4. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the removing step is by sublimation of the additive composition from the surface layer.
 5. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the removing step is by sublimation followed by extraction.
 6. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the solidifying step is by cryogenic cooling.
 7. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the solidifying step is by cooling in air.
 8. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the median pore size ranges from about 1 to about 400 microns.
 9. The polymeric article of claim 1 further comprising cells adhering to walls of pores of the foam for producing biologically active products.
 10. The polymeric article of claim 9, wherein the biologically active products are selected from the group consisting of growth factors.
 11. The polymeric article of claim 1 or claim 9, wherein the polymeric workpiece includes a bioabsorbable crystalline polymer.
 12. The polymeric article of claim 11, wherein the bioabsorbable crystalline polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyalkylene oxalates, poly-p-dioxanone, polyanhydrides, polymorpholinediones, polycaprolactone and copolymers thereof.
 13. The polymeric article of claim 1 further comprising a medicament in the pores of the microporous surface layer.
 14. The polymeric article of claim 13, wherein the medicament is selected from antimicrobial agents, anti-inflammatory drugs, antimitotic agents and mitotic agents.
 15. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the polymeric workpiece includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon 6/6, nylon 12, nylon 11, nylon 6, polybutylene terephthalate, polylactic acid and copolymers thereof.
 16. The polymeric article of claim 1, wherein the additive composition is selected from the group consisting of naphthalene, anthracene, salicylic acid, phenanthrene and tetramethylene sulfone.
 17. A method for producing a polymeric article with a microporous surface layer comprising the steps of:providing a solid crystalline additive composition, said additive composition having a melting point above 25° C. and having at least one of the following physical characteristics:(i) a sublimation temperature between about 25° C. and the lower of the degradation, melting, or glass transition temperature of the polymer; and (ii) extractability by solvents which are not solvents for the polymer; heating the additive composition to above its melting point so as to form a hot molten additive composition; providing an organic crystalline thermoplastic polymeric workpiece, said polymeric workpiece having surfaces; subjecting the polymeric workpiece to the hot molten additive composition for a period of time sufficient to co-dissolve at least a portion of at least one surface of the polymeric workpiece with the additive composition; solidifying the co-dissolved surface of the polymeric workpiece and additive composition such that the additive composition phase-separates in the co-dissolved surface of the polymeric workpiece by crystallization to produce a surface layer containing crystals of the additive composition; and removing the crystals of the additive composition from the surface layer to produce a highly uniform microporous surface layer, wherein the removing is accomplished by a process selected from the group consisting of solvent extraction, sublimation and a combination of solvent extraction and sublimation.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the subjecting step is by submerging the polymeric workpiece into the hot molten composition.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the removing step is by extracting the additive composition from the surface layer with a solvent.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the removing step is by sublimation of the additive composition from the surface layer.
 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the removing step is by sublimation followed by extraction.
 22. The method of claim 17, wherein the solidifying step is by cryogenic cooling.
 23. The method of claim 17, wherein the solidifying step is by cooling in air.
 24. The method of claim 17, wherein the median pore size ranges from about 1 to about 400 microns.
 25. The method of claim 17, wherein the polymeric workpiece includes a bioabsorbable crystalline polymer.
 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the bioabsorbable crystalline polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyalkylene oxalates, poly-p-dioxanone, polyanhydrides, polymorpholinediones, polycaprolactone and copolymers thereof.
 27. The method of claim 17, wherein the polymeric workpiece includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon 6.6, nylon 12, nylon 11, nylon 6, polybutylene terephthalate, polylactic acid and copolymers thereof.
 28. The method of claim 17, wherein the additive composition is selected from the group consisting of naphthalene, anthracene, salicylic acid, phenanthrene and tetramethylene sulfone.
 29. The method of claim 17, wherein the polymeric workpiece includes a polymer that is not readily soluble in conventional solvents.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the polymer is polyether-etherketone.
 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the polymer is ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.
 32. A method for producing a medical implant with a foam coating, said foam including a highly uniform continuous matrix of an organic crystalline thermoplastic polymer and highly uniform, continuous, open-cell pores dispersed in said matrix, the method comprising the steps of:providing a medical implant; and coating the medical implant with a thin layer of a hot isotropic solution of the polymer and a solid crystalline additive composition, said additive composition having a melting point above 25° C. and having at least one of the following physical characteristics:(i) a sublimation temperature between about 25° C. and the lower of the degradation, melting or glass transition temperature of the polymer; and (ii) extractability by solvents which are not solvents for the polymer; solidifying the coating such that the polymer and the additive composition separate by essentially simultaneous crystallization to produce an adherent surface coating of the polymer containing crystals of the additive composition; and removing the crystals of the additive composition from the coating to produce a highly uniform, continuous, open-cell foam coating on the implant, wherein the removing is accomplished by a process selected from the group consisting of solvent extraction, sublimation and a combination of solvent extraction and sublimation. 